KARACHI: Despite a rising number of fatal road accidents in the city, transporters continue to disregard basic safety laws, as a new incident has highlighted. Fresh images circulating online show a child driving a passenger coach in Karachi’s DHA Phase 8 — estimated to be around 10 to 11 years old — , raising serious concerns about enforcement failures and the broader culture of negligence on city roads.
The photographs, reportedly taken by a resident near 16th Street, Creek Vista, clearly show the young boy seated behind the wheel of a passenger coach bearing registration number PE-0147. The images have rapidly spread across social media, triggering anger among citizens who say such violations have become alarmingly common.
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According to residents, repeated accidents involving public transport vehicles have done little to change the behavior of bus operators. Karachi has already recorded 32 deaths this year caused solely by bus collisions, yet enforcement remains weak and inconsistent.
Locals argue that the latest incident underscores not only the recklessness of transporters but also a complete lapse in monitoring by traffic police. Many citizens say the circulating images indicate that neither the bus owner nor the minor driver fears any action from district authorities or the issuance of e-challans — penalties that, in theory, should deter such behaviour.
Road safety advocates have also pointed out that allowing an underage, unlicensed child to operate a passenger coach puts dozens of lives at risk. They argue that this is not an isolated case, but part of a pattern of illegal practices within Karachi’s public transport sector, where untrained drivers, poor vehicle maintenance and unsafe driving habits routinely endanger commuters.
Citizens have now demanded immediate legal action against the owner of the coach. They are also calling for strict penalties, including a substantial e-challan and potential suspension of the vehicle’s route permit, to ensure compliance with traffic laws. Many believe this incident should serve as a wake-up call for authorities to begin enforcing meaningful oversight on transport fleets operating in the city.
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Karachi’s road safety issues have gained increasing attention in recent months, with experts warning that lax enforcement, unlicensed drivers and inadequate regulation continue to contribute to preventable tragedies on the roads. Residents say that without strict accountability, more lives will be put at risk — and incidents like this one will only continue.
